The Criminal Justice program in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences offers a Bachelor of Arts degree and a minor in Criminal Justice.
Your adventure begins with your academic advisor. Please contact cjsocadvising@iastate.edu for more information.
Students in this major will learn about the components of the juvenile and criminal justice systems, become acquainted with the issues affecting these systems, apply theoretical concepts to real-world phenomena, interface with criminal justice and social service providers, and plan an academic and/or applied career in criminal justice.
Student Learning Outcomes
Graduates of this program will:
- Understand theories of crime, victimization, and criminal justice (i.e., theories about social bonds, learning, social control, conflict, labeling, rehabilitation, alternatives to incarceration).
- Think critically about crime, victimization, and criminal justice (i.e., be able to apply, critique, compare, and integrate knowledge in the area).
- Understand how race/ethnicity, gender, wealth, and power are related to crime, victimization, and criminal justice.
- Understand and be able to use basic social science research methods, as well as those most relevant to the study of crime, victimization, and criminal justice.
- Be familiar with career paths in the criminal justice system, and make career choices that best fit their career interests.
- Make appropriate decisions, think creatively and be able to express themselves in written and oral communication to supervisors and clients.
Degree Requirements
University Requirements
| International Perspectives | 3 | |
| US Diversity | 3 | |
| Total Credits | 6 | |
Communication Proficiency
According to the university-wide Communication Proficiency Grade Requirement, students must demonstrate their communication proficiency by earning a grade of C or better in ENGL 150 and ENGL 250. In addition, majors must also take an advanced course in ENGL 302 or ENGL 309 or ENGL 314 with a grade of C or better.
| ENGL 150 | Critical Thinking and Communication | 3 |
| ENGL 250 | Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition | 3 |
| LIB 160 | Introduction to College Level Research | 1 |
| ENGL 302 | Business Communication | 3 |
| or ENGL 309 | Proposal and Report Writing | |
| or ENGL 314 | Technical Communication | |
| Total Credits | 10 | |
World Languages and Cultures
| 3 years of High School | ||
| SPAN 097 | Accelerated Spanish Review | 0 |
| 2 semesters at the college level | 8 | |
| Total Credits | 8 | |
General Education Coursework
Students must select from a variety of LAS approved general education courses in each area listed below. A full list of approved courses can be found at https://las.iastate.edu/students/academics/general-education/.
| Arts and Humanities | 12 | |
| Math | 3 | |
| Natural Sciences | 8 | |
| Social Sciences | 9 | |
| Total Credits | 32 | |
Program of Study
A program of study that meets the needs and interests of the student and departmental requirements will be developed in consultation with the major advisor. Students must maintain a GPA of 2.0 or higher in their core courses.
| SOC 115 | Orientation to Sociology | 1 |
| or C J 120 | The Criminal Justice League Learning Community Seminar | |
| C J 240 | Introduction to the U.S. Criminal Justice System | 3 |
| C J 241 | Youth and Crime | 3 |
| C J 242 | Criminology | 3 |
| C J 340 | Deviant and Criminal Behavior | 3 |
| C J 402 | White-Collar Crime | 3 |
| or C J 403 | Criminal Offenders | |
| or C J 406 | Gender and Crime | |
| C J 460 | Criminal and Juvenile Justice Internship | 3 |
| Select one of the following courses | 3 | |
| American Judicial Process | ||
| Philosophy of Law | ||
| Liberty and Law in America | ||
| Criminal Justice Policies | ||
| Psychology and Law | ||
| Select 5 of the following courses | 15 | |
| American Judicial Process | ||
| Philosophy of Law | ||
| Race, Ethnicity, and the US Criminal Justice System | ||
| Liberty and Law in America | ||
| Police and Society | ||
| Punishment, Corrections, and Society | ||
| Prevention of Crime and Delinquency | ||
| Latinas and Victimization | ||
| White-Collar Crime | ||
| Criminal Justice Policies | ||
| Drugs and Crime | ||
| Gender and Crime | ||
| Capital Punishment | ||
| Contemporary Issues in Policing | ||
| Ethical Issues in Criminal Justice | ||
| Topical Studies in Criminal and Juvenile Justice | ||
| Psychology and Law | ||
| Total Credits | 37 | |
LAS majors require a minimum of 120 credits, including a minimum of 45 credits at the 300/400 level.
Criminal Justice, B.A.
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| SOC 115 or C J 120 | 1 | C J 121 | 1 |
| C J 240 | 3 | C J 241 | 3 |
| ENGL 150 | 3 | ENGL 250 | 3 |
| LIB 160 | 1 | Arts and Humanities Choice | 3 |
| Social Science Choice | 3 | Social Science Choice | 3 |
| Arts and Humanities Choice | 3 | Natural Science Choice | 3 |
| 14 | 16 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| C J 340 | 3 | C J 242 | 3 |
| World Languages/Elective | 3-4 | World Languages/Elective | 3-4 |
| Arts and Humanities Choice | 3 | Math Choice | 3 |
| Natural Science Choice | 3 | International Perspectives | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| 15-16 | 15-16 | ||
| Junior | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| C J 402, 403, or 406 | 3 | Criminal Justice Special Topics | 3 |
| Criminal Justice Special Topics | 3 | Criminal Justice Special Topics | 3 |
| ENGL 302, 309, or 314 | 3 | Arts and Humanities Choice | 3 |
| Social Science Choice | 3 | Natural Science Choice | 2 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 14 | ||
| Senior | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| C J 320, 332, 339, or PSYCH 383 | 3 | C J 460 | 3 |
| Criminal Justice Special Topics | 3 | Criminal Justice Special Topics | 3 |
| U.S. Diversity | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Elective | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Credits: 119-121 | |||
Special Topics choices: C J/POL S 320; C J/PHIL 332, 339; C J 335, 351, 352, 354, 360, 402, 404, 405, 406, 410, 451, 470, 484*; and PSYCH 383.
*May take up to 9 credits of C J 484 special topics.
Note: This is an example four-year plan. Your actual semester schedules may vary.
Criminal Justice Minor
The Criminal Justice minor offers an opportunity for students to learn about the components of the criminal and juvenile justice systems, to become acquainted with the issues and problems affecting these systems, to apply theoretical concepts to real world problems, and to plan a career in the criminal justice field.
Students who declare a minor in Criminal Justice are required to complete 18 total credits. Students may do up to nine credits of SOC 460 but only three of those credits may be applied to the minor. Nine credits must be at the 300 or 400 level. The minor must include at least 9 credits that are not used to meet any other department, college, or university requirement. Students must have a minimum grade point average of 2.0 in courses for the minor.
| C J 240 | Introduction to the U.S. Criminal Justice System | 3 |
| C J 460 | Criminal and Juvenile Justice Internship | 3 |
| Four additional C J courses | 12 | |
| Total Credits | 18 | |